Description
Computer made/mounted on velcro 3.0 inch-77mm
86th AIRLIFT WING (USAFE)
Lineage. Established as 86 Fighter Wing, and activated, on 1 Jul 1948. Redesignated as: 86 Fighter-Bomber Wing on 20 Jan 1950; 86 Fighter-Interceptor Wing on 9 Aug 1954; 86 Air Division (Defense) on 18 Nov 1960. Inactivated on 14 Nov 1968. Redesignated as: 86 Fighter-Interceptor Wing on 14 Nov 1968; 86 Tactical Fighter Wing on 13 Oct 1969. Activated on 1 Nov 1969. Redesignated as: 86 Fighter Wing on 1 May 1991; 86 Wing on 1 Jun 1992; 86 Airlift Wing on 1 Oct 1994.
Assignments. United States Air Forces in Europe, 1 Jul 1948; 2 Air Division, 10 Oct 1949; Twelfth Air Force, 7 May 1951; United States Air Forces in Europe, 1 Jan 1958; Seventeenth Air Force, 15 Nov 1959; United States Air Forces in Europe, 1 Jul 1963; Seventeenth Air Force, 1 Sep 1963; United States Air Forces in Europe, 20 May 1965; Seventeenth Air Force, 5 Oct-14 Nov 1968. Seventeenth Air Force, 1 Nov 1969; 316 Air Division, 14 Jun 1985; Seventeenth Air Force, 1 May 1991; Third Air Force, 31 Jul 1996; United States Air Forces in Europe, 1 Nov 2005; Air Command Europe, 18 Nov 2005; Third Air Force (Air Forces Europe), 1 Dec 2006-.
Operational Components. Group. 86 Fighter (later, 86 Fighter-Bomber; 86 Fighter-Interceptor; 86 Tactical Fighter; 86 Operations): 1 Jul 1948-8 Mar 1958; 22 Sep 1975-14 Jun 1985; 1 May 1991-. Squadrons. 7 Special Operations: 31 Jan-15 Mar 1973 (detached). 17 Tactical Reconnaissance: 12 Jan 1970-31 Jan 1973. 32 Fighter-Interceptor: 8 Apr 1960-1 Nov 1968. 38 Tactical Reconnaissance: attached 16-30 Jan 1973. 81 Tactical Fighter: attached 12 Jun-14 Jul 1971, assigned 15 Jul 1971-15 Jan 1973. 151 Fighter-Interceptor: 25 Nov 1961-11 Jul 1962. 197 Fighter-Interceptor: 25 Nov 1961-11 Jul 1962. 417 Tactical Fighter: Nov 1981-15 Sep 1987. 434 Tactical Fighter: attached 30 Sep-12 Dec 1961. 435 Tactical Fighter: attached 22 Sep 1961-14 Jan 1962 and 4 Nov-12 Dec 1962. 436 Tactical Fighter: attached 12 Jan-12 Apr 1962. 440 Fighter-Interceptor: attached 1 Jul 1954-7 Oct 1955; attached 10 Aug 1956-7 Mar 1958, assigned 8 Mar 1958-1 Jan 1960. 476 Tactical Fighter: attached 12 Apr-8 Aug 1962. 496 Fighter-Interceptor: attached 1 Jul 1954-7 Oct 1955; attached 10 Aug 1956-7 Mar 1958, assigned 8 Mar 1958-1 Nov 1968. 512 Fighter-Interceptor (later, 512 Tactical Fighter): 24 Mar 1958-1 Jul 1959; 14 Jun 1985-1 May 1991. 513 Fighter-Interceptor: 25 Apr 1958-8 Jan 1961. 514 Fighter-Interceptor: 15 May 1958-Jan 1961. 525 Fighter-Interceptor: attached 22 May 1957-7 Oct 1955; attached 10 Aug 1956-Mar 1958, assigned 8 Mar 1958-1 Nov 1968. 526 Fighter-Interceptor (later, 526 Tactical Fighter): attached 22 May 1954-7 Oct 1955; attached 10 Aug 1956-7 Mar 1958, assigned 8 Mar 1958-1 Nov 1968; assigned 31 Jan 1973-22 Sep 1975; assigned 14 Jun 1985-1 May 1991. 527 Fighter-Interceptor: attached 22 May 1954-7 Oct 1955.
Stations. Neubiberg AB, Germany, 1 Jul 1948; Landstuhl (later, Ramstein-Landstuhl; Ramstein) AB, Germany, 21 Aug 1952-14 Nov 1968. Zweibrucken AB, Germany, 1 Nov 1969; Ramstein AB, Germany, 31 Jan 1973-.
Aircraft. F-47, 1948-1950; F-84, 1950-1953; F-86, 1953-1960; F-102, 1959-1968; F-100, 1960; F-104, 1961-1962. RF-4, 1970-1973, 1976; F-4, 1971-1986; F-100, 1975; F-16, 1985-1994; C-135, 1992; C-12, 1992-1994; C-20, 1992-; C-21, 1992-; CT-43, 1992-1996; UH-1, 1992-1993; C-9, 1993-2001; C-130, 1994-; C-37, 2000-; C-40, 2004-.
Operations. Provided air defense, primarily in West Germany, Jul 1948-Nov 1968, initially as a wing but later as a division. During its eight years as an air division, the organization supervised the improvement of a manual radar system to a semi-automatic air weapons control system. From Nov 1969 to Jun 1971, it was charged only with tactical reconnaissance, but added tactical fighter operations later in 1971. Supported numerous military units located in the area of Ramstein AB, Germany, Jan 1973-Jun 1985. Participated in numerous exercises that provided the wing with air combat tactics training essential to its mission. Converted to the F-16 Fighting Falcon, 1985- 1986. Beginning in Apr 1991, deployed to Turkey and supported operations in Southwest Asia to ensure that Iraq complied with treaty terms by enforcing a no-fly zone. Wing aircraft sometimes attacked Iraqi surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites in northern Iraq. Added an airlift mission in Jun 1992, performing special airlift missions with various kinds of transport aircraft, but retaining fighter aircraft as well. In 1993 and 1994, the wing deployed pilots, maintenance personnel, and aircraft to Aviano AB, Italy, to enforce a new no-fly zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina. Two wing F-16 pilots shot down four enemy aircraft in the zone in 1994. The wing also airlifted humanitarian cargo to Bosnia-Herzegovina between 1993 and 1996. In 1994, traded its F-16 fighters for C-130 transports and became strictly an airlift wing. Airlifted troops and cargo to Bosnia-Herzegovina between 1996 and 1998 in support of peacekeepers. Evacuated U.S. and third-country nationals from Liberia during civil disturbances there in the spring of 1996; in 1997, airlifted African peacekeeping forces to Liberia. In 1998, the wing supported the airlift of U.S. forces to Southwest Asia after the Iraqi government refused cooperation with United Nations weapons inspectors. After a terrorist bomb exploded at a U.S. embassy in Kenya in August 1998, the wing supported the medical evacuation of injured personnel. When the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) used air power in a brief war to end Serbia’s suppression of ethnic Albanians in Kosovo in 1999, the wing airlifted U.S. forces within the European theater and transported relief supplies to refugees in Albania and Macedonia. After the war the wing airlifted cargo and peacekeepers to Kosovo. Also furnished humanitarian relief by airlift to the victims of an earthquake in Turkey in 1999 and a flood in Mozambique in 2000. In the latter year, the wing also airlifted victims of a terrorist bombing of the USS Cole from Yemen. Continued to provide airlift support for air units enforcing the no-fly zone over northern Iraq. Conducted airlift, airdrop, and aeromedical evacuation operations, 2000-.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. None.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat “V” Device: 15 Jan 2004-31 Oct 2005. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 31 Oct 1955-31 Oct 1958; 1 Jul 1964-30 Jun 1965; 1 Jul 1981-30 Jun 1982; 14 Jun 1985-13 Jun 1987; 1 May 1989-30 Apr 1991; 1 Jul 1993-30 Jun 1995; 1 Jul 1996-30 Jun 1997; 1 Sep 1997-31 Aug 1999; [14 Apr]-10 Jun 1999; 1 Jan 2000-31 Dec 2001; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2002; 1 Nov 2005-31 Dec 2006; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2007.
Bestowed Honors. Authorized to display honors earned by the 86 Operations Group prior to 1 Jul 1948. Service Streamers. World War II American Theater. Campaign Streamers. World War II: Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Southern France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Italy, 25 May 1944; Germany, 20 Apr 1945.
Emblem. Approved for 86 Group on 17 Oct 1942 and, in modified form, for 86 Wing on 27 Jul 1956. Newest rendition approved on 24 Jul 2007.